Member Faculty
Research: My field is systematics, a very broad discipline defined as “the scientific study of the kinds and diversity of organisms and of any and all relationships among them,” and dealing primarily with phylogenetic pattern and the evolutionary process that shape that pattern. I have been interested in genome duplication, and my work in this area involves comparative genomics of polyploid plant species, both naturally occurring taxa and laboratory synthesized plants. Most of this work involves the large and economically important legume family ("beans"), where projects include studies addressing the origin of nodulation (symbiotic nitrogen fixation) and the study of gene families.
Department: Animal Science
Lab: Duan Lab and Members
Research: Our research group uses genomics and computational approaches to investigate key molecular mechanisms which regulate transcription events in animal developmental reprogramming. We identify functional factors that coordinate gene expression during development and under environmental stressors. Our long-term goal is to understand epigenetic mechanisms in animal health and disease and use functional genomics tools to improve animal fertility and health.
Department: Biomed Sci & Baker Institute
Research: Dr. Jacquelyn Evans’ research program focuses on improving the health of dogs by identifying genetic risk factors for disease, leading to genetic tests to reduce disease frequency, earlier disease detection, and potentially improved therapies. Many canine diseases have human counterparts often caused by the same mutation or mutations in the same genes/pathways. Thus, the information we learn from the dog model may also inform human disease research.
Department: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Research: We research mobile genetic elements, such as transposons and endogenous viruses, with a primary focus on vertebrate genomes, including the human genome. The overarching goal is to characterize the impact of these elements on the evolution and physiology of their host species – including disease states. We also have a long-standing interest in deciphering the forces and mechanisms underlying the propagation of mobile elements within and between species, and the long-term consequences of these activities in shaping genome architecture and complexity.
Department: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Research: Our lab is interested in gene regulation and genomics, with an emphasis on post-transcriptional gene regulation. A recurring theme in our work is understanding the mechanisms and consequences of regulation of the transcriptome. Current projects range from mechanistic studies of 3ʹuntranslated regions in mammalian cells (3ʹUTRs), to understanding the gene regulatory networks controlled by microRNAs (miRNAs) in the immune system.
Department: Natural Resources and the Environment
Lab: Hare lab and members
Research: Our basic research addresses adaptive capacity of populations using a combination of experimental and observational population genomic approaches. For example, how do we explain apparent local adaptation at surprisingly small geographic scales relative to average dispersal distances? In high fecundity species, how much does early viability selection (phenotype/environment mismatch) shape spatial variation in population fitness and maintain high levels of within-population genetic variation? Longstanding research questions include the genetic and fitness consequences of population supplementation using hatcheries, and the pattern and scale of gene flow in coastal marine species. More recently we have been studying the genomic effects of domestication and potential for fitness effects in wild populations interbreeding with domesticates.
Department: Animal Science
Research: Genetic Improvement of Animal Health and Production, Dairy Cattle Management and Genetic Evaluations, Population Structure and Adaptation, Genomic Tool Development, Wildlife and Indigenous Population Conservation, Canine Genetics Current Research: My research utilizes genomic tools to identify population structure and relatedness to production, adaption, and disease in animals. I specifically focus on dairy cattle and goat production and improvement through the identification of genetic markers influencing traits and those markers potential as diagnostic tools for herd management.
Department: Computational Biology
Research: Kim’s lab focuses on the general fields of population genetics and evolutionary biology. Her lab is interested in computational problems relevant to understanding evolutionary processes and population dynamics, and in development and application of statistical methods for inference from genetic data. In addition to answering fundamental questions in evolution, she applies these approaches to solve questions with biomedical, legal, and social implications in the areas of genetic epidemiology, conservation genomics, and forensic genetics.
Department: Entomology
Lab: Lazzaro Lab
Research: We study evolutionary and functional genetics of insect-pathogen interactions, primarily focusing on genetic and environmental factors that determine the outcome of bacterial infection in the Drosophila melanogaster.
Department: Ecol & Evol Biol, and Lab of Ornithology
Research: My research activities are based out of the Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Research in our lab group presently centers on using genomic approaches to explore processes of speciation, hybridization, functional genetics, and diversification. We work mostly on birds, but within birds we do research on a variety of species and avian groups to address different types of questions.